Centrifugal compressor.



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Specification of Letters Patent.

JOHN w; Krr'r'nnnen' or :eouLnnn-,=cor.oenno."

Patented Sept. i5, 191%.

Application filed December 2, 1911. Serial No. 663,485.

vision of an apparatus of simple construc'-.

tion, in which the centrifugal force imparted to mercury or other heavy liquidby .the rapid movement of a rotary carrier, is em ployed to compress air.

By the use of my invention, air may be.

compressed to a considerabledensity by a. mechanism in which accurately fitted parts such as the valves and pistons of the compressors at present in common use, are eliminated, which does not require the care and attention necessary to maintain the ordinary compressor in operative condition which, if so desired, may be directly,connectedwvith the shaft of a motor and which being of small size and weight, may be readily transported and installed wherever its services are required.

An embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in i the various views of which like parts are similarly designated and in which,

Figure 1 represents a vertical, axialsection of the centrifugal compressor and, Fig. 2, a horizontal section talien along the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 2 designates an airtight housin composed of a circular body portion 3 an a cover 4, which is imperviouslyfastened thereon by solder or other suitable means. The interior surface of the circumferential wall of the body 3 slants inwardly toward the bottom of the same, the said bottom being concave and provided at its center with an inclosed Well 5 which communicates with the interior of the housing by means of a pluralityof upwardly slanting passages 6 and which at t e upper end of its inclosing wall'communicates with the interior of a hollow shaft 7 which projects through an opening in the cover 4, to rotate about a vertical axis in the operation of the compressor.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the shaft 7 is'suppo'rte'd'by ball-bearings 8 and 9 respectively applied to the wall of. the well 5 and to the cover l, and a sleeve 10 of elastic material isplaced around the inwardly projecting bearing on the cover;

and a thereto adjacent enlarged portion 7 of the shaft to render the joint between the two parts impervious to air by means of the pressure of air contained in the housing.

Rigidly secured upon the shaft 7 within the housing 2, is a disk 12 which has, interlorly, a series of radially extending ducts 20 which connect equidistant orifices in its circumferentialsurface with the interior of the hollow shaft at-a point below a plug 13 which divides the said interior into two separate compartments 14 and 15 which respectively communicate with the well in the bottom of the housing, and with the atmos phere at the upper end of the shaft. The disk 12 is furthermore provided with radial passages 16 which separately connect the compartment 15 of the hollow shaft with the respective ducts at points intermediate the extremities thereof, for the purpose of supplying the air to be compressed by the rotary motion of the disk, as will liereinafterbe' described, and the shaft7 may either'be directly connected with a rotary part of a motor or it may be provided with a power transmission device such'as the pulley 17 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. 1 I I An annular concave deflector 18 firmly secured to the housing is interposed between the inner circumferential surface of the latter and the peripheral face of the disk for the purpose of preventing the mercury which in the operation, is violently ejected through the orifices in the latter, from com* ing' in direct contact with the body of mercury constantly contained in the housing and thus agitating the same. The deflector furthermore increases the efficiency of the machine by keeping the mercury which, during the operation is in a concave form, from contact with the revolving disk.

A valve controlledoutlet-conduit 19 connected with an opening in the cover 3, serves to convey the air compressed in the housing to the point at which it is used.

In the operation of my invention, the housing2 is supplied with a body 21 of mercury or other heavy liquid which when the shaft 7 is at rest, extends on a level above the orifices in the peripheral surface of the disk 12. When the shaft and the therewith connected disk are rotated at a high velocity, the body of mercury'willby capillary repulsion sink below the lower surface of the disk and rise proportionately along the circumferential wall of the housing whereby the revolving disk is relieved from frictional contact with the liquid. By reason of the high rate of speed zit-which the disk is rotated, a partial vacuum is created at opposite sides of the plug 13 and air and mercury are in consequence, simultaneously drawn into thecompart-ments 14 and 15 of the shaft, through the open ends thereof, the lower one of which communicates with the well 5 inthe. bottom of the housing. The

mercury drawn into the compartment 14 is by centrifugal force impelled outwardly through the radial ducts 20, and in passing through the same it separates into detached globules which as they pass the point of I connection between the duct and the respective air-channel 16 confine a portion of the air which by centrifugal force is driven.

through the said channel, and carry it onwardly until the globules are forcibly discharged at the circumference of the disk. The discharged bodies of mercury impinge against the deflective surface of the member 18 and by their impetus move toward and over the rim thereof to'fall into the body of mercury contained in the bottom-portion of the housing, without coming violently in contact therewith as would undoubtedly take place if the deflector 18 were eliminated from the construction.

By making the ducts'20 tapering from their points of connection with the hollow shaft, to the orifices in the circumference of the disk, the globules of mercury will, irrespective of their size, come in frictional contact with the interior surface of the ducts through which they are impelled before I reaching the orifice thereof and by thus closing the passage through said ducts, they will positively prevent the return flow of air. As.quantity after quantity of air is thus in rapid succession discharged into the housing 2 through the orifices in the disk, the air contained in said housing will be gradually compressed, to be discharged when needed, through the normally closed outlet conduit 19. Inasmuch asthe compression of air is invariably accompanied by a generation of heat, the housing 2 is preferably surrounded by a mantle 22 to provide a water jacket 23. o

It will be understood that to increase the efficiency of the machine, the disk may be provided with two or more series of ducts and air-passages, and that other variations in the arrangement and construction of the parts may be availed of within the spirit of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housing, partially filled with liquid, a rotary, hollow shaft divided into two compartments, the lower one of which communicates with the lower portion of said housing, while the upper one is in communication with the atmosphere, and a disk fixed on said shaft and provided with open-ended ducts which at their inner ends communicate with the lower compartment and whose outer ends are in the periphery of the disk, and with passages connecting the upper compartment with the said ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

2. An air compressor comprising an airtight housing partially filled with liquid, a disk mounted to rotate within the same, and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which at their inner ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are in the periphery of the disk, and a conduit for the supply of air, the said disk having passages which connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from both their ends.

3. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housing partially filled with liquid, a disk mounted to rotate withinthe same and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which at their inner ends communicate with the lower ortion of the housing and whose opposlte ends-are in the periphery of the.disk,-and a conduit for the supply of air, the said disk having passages which connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends;

4. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housing partially filled with liquid, :1 disk mounted to rotate within the same-and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which at their inner ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are 'in the periphery of the disk, a deflector interposed between the periphery of the disk and the wallof the housing, and a conduit for the supply of air, said disk having passages which connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

5. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housing, a disk having a rotary movement within the same and provided with radial, open-ended ducts which, at their above the outer ends of said ducts when the liquid is at rest.

1,11. i eas 6. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housing partially filled with liquid, a disk mounted to rotate within the same and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which taper from their inner to their outer ends, which at their inner ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are in the periphery of the disk, and a conduit for the supply of air, the said disk having passages which connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

7. An air compressor comprising an airtight housing including a water-jacket, and partially filled with liquid, a disk mounted to rotate within the housing and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which at their inner ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are in the periphery of the disk, and a conduit for the supply of air, the said disk having passages which connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

8. An air compressor comprisin an airtight housing partially filled with llquid and provided with a bearing in its upper wall, a shaft extending through said bearing, an elastic sleeve surrounding the joint between the said bearing and the shaft within the housing, to be held in contact therewith by air-pressure, a disk on said shaft provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which at their ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are in the periphery of the disk,

and a conduit for the supply of air, the

said disk having passages which connect-said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

9. An air compressor comprising an airtight housing partially filled with liquid, a disk mounted to rotate within the same and provided with open-ended ducts of small diameter which extend in a horizontal plane, which at their inner ends communicate with the lower portion of the housing and whose opposite ends are in the periphery of the disk, and aconduit for the sup ly of air, the said disk having passages whicii connect said conduit with the ducts at points remote from their inner ends.

10. An air-compressor comprising an airtight housin having a valve-controlled airoutlet, a dis mounted for rotation in said housing, and having an orifice remote from its axis of rotation and a duct which connects with said orifice at one of its ends, and communicates at its opposite end, with the interior of the housing at a point of lower elevation than said orifice, the said disk having furthermore a passage connectin said duct with the atmosphere, and a de ector disposed between the periphery of the disk and the wall of the housing to intercept matter discharged through said orifice by centrifugal force, and adapted to return said matter into the lower part of the housing.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. KITTREDGE. Witnesses:

G. J. RoLLANor'r, L. Rnoanns. 

